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Before Hulu’s failed attempt to recapture the magic ofHIMYMwith the 2022 spin-off, which was canceled after two underwhelming seasons, Greta Gerwig was initially set to lead a spiritual spin-off to the show. Prior to finding success in the realm of directing, Gerwig made a name for herself in the Indie-landscape as an actor, thanks toNoah Baumbach’sGreenbergandFrances Ha, which she also co-wrote.
Following her rising stature, CBS initially brought her in to star inHow I Met Your Dad, a spin-off toHow I Met Your Mother, which was set to kickstart not long after the original show ended.
Also read:Mark Ruffalo’s Tragic Loss Indirectly Led To Greta Gerwig Meeting Her Husband Noah Baumbach
Greta Gerwig’s Spin-off toHIMYMDidn’t Live Past the Pilot
Having no correlations with the one that came before,How I Met Your Dadwould’ve followed the story ofGreta Gerwig‘s Sally Javits, who’d have narrated the story of how she met her spouse to her offspring. But unlikeHow I Met Your Mother, the identity of the dad was revealed in the pilot, taking away the sense of mystery. Furthermore, the show would’ve comprised a more diverse casting and would’ve been more progressive. Unfortunately, the show didn’t continue past its pilot as per Gerwig, the test audience disliked it. She toldColbert:
“There was a show called How I Met Your Mother.It was a great show. I loved it. Everyone loves it. They were going to make another one called How I Met Your Dad, starring me. We shot the pilot and it was so much fun. I loved working on it. And then they take the pilot to Las Vegas to test it… The audience, they’re given knobs. They turn the knob to the right if they like it and to the left if they don’t. And apparently, they turned the knob to the left every time I came on. They didn’t like it.”
Following the poor reception, CBS decided to pass on it, and while the pilot would find its way to the internet, like the test audiences, fans online too were less than thrilled by it.
Also read:“I am always trying to impress her”: One Obsession of Greta Gerwig’s Husband Noah Baumbach Might Have Been the Biggest Secret Behind Barbie’s Success
The Spin-Off’s Cancellation Ended Up Being a Boon for Greta Gerwig
In hindsight, the cancellation ofHow I Met Your Dadended up doing more good to Gerwig’s career, as instead of being attached to a sitcom for years, she made her way to more diverse projects. In her endeavor as a solo director, Greta Gerwig would make her presence known to fans of the art form with her first feature,Lady Bird, which she directed and wrote. Following in the footsteps of her masterpiece, she would once again deliver from behind the lens withLittle Women, and in 2023, she succeeded in crafting the biggest hit of that year,Barbie.
Also read:“Basic feminism isn’t needed is an oversimplification”: Barbie Star America Ferrera Blasts Baseless Criticism of Barbie ‘Simplifying’ Feminism
While it’s pretty much possible thatHow I Met Your Dadmight’ve recovered from its rocky pilot, the director won’t mind how things turned out.
How I Met Your Motheris available to stream on Hulu.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2543
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
